Cappo resigns over Hepworth case

A senior South Australian priest’s decision to quit a key federal government post amid a sexual abuse scandal was not taken lightly, Mental Health Minister Mark Butler says.

Monsignor David Cappo was recently chosen by the federal government as the first chairman of the new Mental Health Commission, the body to lead national mental health reform, a key focus of the Gillard government.

But he said on Thursday he had advised the government that he would not take up the position and had also resigned from the Australian Social Inclusion Board.

His decision comes amid criticism by independent Senator Nick Xenophon that Monsignor Cappo had not acted in a timely manner to allegations made in 2007 by an Anglican archbishop that he was raped by a Roman Catholic priest in a South Australian seminary 40 years ago.

Senator Xenophon this week named the priest, Ian Dempsey, in parliament under parliamentary privilege, as the alleged rapist of Archbishop John Hepworth.

Monsignor Dempsey denies the allegations.

Mr Butler said he understood the decision was a difficult one and not taken lightly, but it was a decision the government respected.

“I still believe that, given his background and expertise, Monsignor Cappo was the obvious choice to lead the Mental Health Commission,” Mr Butler said in a statement.

“I would like to take the opportunity to thank Monsignor Cappo for the strong leadership he displayed in the national mental health reform process and his long-term commitment to those who are vulnerable and disadvantaged in our community.”

Mr Butler said he knew the monsignor would continue his work in future and wished him all the best.

Monsignor Cappo denies he has mishandled the complaint by Archbishop Hepworth but said the matter had the potential to distract from the important work of the Mental Health Commission.

“While I emphatically reject any suggestion that I or the church handled the complaint by John Hepworth with anything other than proper and due diligence, this matter has the potential to distract from the important work of the newly formed Mental Health Commission,” Monsignor Cappo said in a statement.

“I cannot allow that to occur.

“We have worked so hard to put mental health on the national agenda and I do not want, in any way, to have this progress jeopardised.”